It was Brian Smith’s music that brought him to Huntsville. Born in the city of Nassau in the Bahamas, Smith had planned to be special education teacher, but life had other things in store for him.

While volunteering in a special ed classroom before applying to a faculty of education, the classically trained pianist got a job playing with a violinist and guitarist in an Italian restaurant. He has made his living as a musician ever since.

In a second twist of fate, a producer of Deerhurst Resort’s stage show was visiting the Bahamas in the ’70s and saw Smith and his friends Howard and Hilda Melbourne playing together at the King and Knight Club. He told them to give him a call if they ever came to Canada.

Howard went to visit his sister in Guelph and came back raving about what he had seen during his trip. So, in the early ‘80s the three of them decided to emigrate.

First they did two tours, playing top-40 music at bars, hotels and clubs across the country. Then, they took the Deerhurst producer up on his offer.

“We auditioned for Bill Waterhouse and ended up playing part-time in the Vegas shows and part-time in the lounge as a trio for almost four years,” Smith says.

Music also brought him together with his wife, Lynn.

“In the late ’80s, I was playing at Hidden Valley and met Lynn, who was attending university and working there in the summer,” he says. “We dated for three years and then got married. This year we will celebrate our 17th anniversary.”

The couple had intended to live in Toronto, but what was supposed to be a three-month stay in Huntsville, close to Lynn’s family, turned out to be a more permanent arrangement.

It helped that he, Howard and Hilda became the house band at Grandview Resort’s Owl’s Nest for several years.

“They kept renewing the contract,” he says.

Nowadays Smith does gigs at places like Windermere House, Casino Rama and Bigwin Island. Without steady work, it’s not an easy business to be in. “Lots of places are cutting back on entertainment,” he says. “They’re hiring more DJs.”

That’s one reason Smith would never push his children into pursuing music as a career.

“They play a little, but no one should do this unless they have a passion,” he says.

His unusual work hours, however, meant that Smith was able to be a stay-at-home father to his children Mariah, now 11, and Justin, now 9, when they were little. He is still the one mainly responsible for cooking, cleaning and homework help. “I really enjoy cooking,” he says.

Smith is also an active member of Trinity United Church. In fact, on April 20 at 10 a.m., he will be starring in a play as part of the service called Skin Deep. The performance is based on the story of Martin Luther King from the time of his famous I Have a Dream speech to his death.

“I haven’t done a lot of plays,” Smith says, “but it gets me out of my box. It’s something I wouldn’t normally do and I’m having fun with it.”

Seven others will be joining him in the performance.

“There are some great actors involved,” he says. “It’s great to work with them. I’m one of the rookies.”

Smith says the play’s director, John McTavish, is so intent on making the show the best it can be that he keeps tweaking lines during rehearsals. “Just when I think I’ve got it down, John changes it,” he says with a laugh.

Looking out his living room window at the snow that’s lingering after this long winter, Smith says he’s not a huge fan of the cold weather, but he thinks Huntsville is a great place to raise children.

And when asked about his hopes for the future, he says his only wish is for his family to be healthy.

“It’s been a rough few years,” says Smith, explaining that Lynn recently completed chemotherapy and radiation treatments after a cancer diagnosis. “You look at life a little differently when things like that happen.”

Thanks to John McTavish for suggesting that Brian Smith be profiled. If there is someone you’d like to see in this space, please call Paula at 789-5541 or e-mail pboon@metrolandnorthmedia.com.